Pivoted multiple lever cap gripping wrench



June 8,1948. OLFE 2,442,795

PIVOTED MULTIPLE-LEVER CAP GRIPPING WRENCH Filed Aug. '6, 1946 IN V EN T OR. 722; 08%; 77; wow

Patented June 8, 1948 PIVOTED MULTIPLE LEVER CAP GRIPPING WRENCH Asher M; Wolfe, Bloomsburg, Pa.

Application August 6, 1946, Serial No. 688,677

6 Claims. (01. 81-3114) This invention relates to a new and improved kitchen aid or the like, particularly adapted for removing or tightening jar tops, screw tops on bottles, corks, and other stoppers, and for cutting the tops out of cans.

I am aware that many such implements have been proposed in the past, but as far as I know, there has never been available a satisfactory tool of the class described which is simple and reliable in operation, inexpensive to manufacture, and satisfactory for the use intended.

It is an object of this invention to provide a tool of the class described which is adjustable to fit any size jar or bottle likely to be found in the kitchen or in the household; which is simple in operation so that no skill or practice is required to operate it; and one which can be manufactured with a few simple operations, is easily and quickly assembled, and which will be rugged and not likely to fail under normal conditions of use.

It is a further object of this invention to provide such a tool in which all of the parts are simple pun-ch press parts so that no elaborate castings are required, and only the simplest tools are necessary to make it.

Still other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the specification.

The features of novelty which I believe to be characteristic of my invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. My invention itself, however, both as to its fundamental principles and as to its particular embodiments, will best be understood by reference to the specification and accompanying drawing, in

which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the tool in accordance with my invention,

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view thereof, and

Fig. 3 is a section on lines 3-3 of Fig. 1.

In accordance with my invention, the tool is made of multiple levers provided with gripping jaws so arranged that as the levers are actuated the jaws expand or contract, enabling the tool to operate on a wide range of jar sizes, gripping the top at several points around the periphery thereof in much the same way as the human hand grasps it in removing or replacing the top.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, the tool is formed of a first pair of levers H3 and II pivoted at point l2 intermediate the ends and preferably nearer one end than the other, the longer lever ends forming the handle and the shorter lever ends being folded downwardly as at Ila and l2a to provide one pair of gripping jaws.

Preferably also the handle ends are bent inwardly; that is, in a direction toward each other, at points [3 and It to enable the operator to grasp the handles more conveniently, and the'length of the handle ends is enough so that the operator can hold the tool readily.

A second pair of levers 20 and 2| isprovided, this second pair being pivoted adjacent one'end, as at 22, and the free ends of levers 20 and 2| are preferably bent downwardly as at 20c and 2 la to provide another pair of gripping jaws. Levers 20 and 2| are pivoted to levers l0 and I l at points 23 and 24, which, it will be noted, are intermediate the jaw ends of levers 2B and. 2i and pivot 22, and likewise intermediate the jaw ends of levers I0 and H and pivot point I2. I

It will be observed that the four pivot points I2, 22, 23, and 24 define a parallelogram for all positions of the wrench, and for one adjustment of the wrench (as in Fig. 2) these four points are the points of a square. The gripping jaws already mentioned will be observed to lie entirely on the outside of this parallelogram, and this is true for any adjustment of the wrench.

In order to obtain a better grip on larger jars,

the inner surface of jaws Ila, 12a, 20a, and 2h; may be provided with scoring or otherwise roughened surfaces, and in forming the wrench these jaws are bent at the free ends of the levers on a line which makes a slight angle to the perpendicular to thecenter line. This provides that the gripping jaw surface is more nearly tangent to any circle concentric with the point of intersection of lines connecting opposite pivot points. This will best be observed in Fig. 2.

It will be noted that there is a certain minimum size which is the smallest that the gripping jaws I already mentioned can hold. In order to provide for operating on objects of smaller size, I may provide a second set of jaws, as at I 022, lib, 29b, and 2 lb, within the four pivot points. These may be formed by cutting out arcuate portions of the levers and serrating the inner edges for better grip. If desired, an additional set of jaws (not shown) may be formed on the inner side of levers I3 and I4, but on the handle side, and jaws lib, 20b and Zlb may be omitted.

To provide for cutting the tops out of cans, can cutter 38 may be provided. This may, for instance, be in the form of a, short sleeve slidingly mounted on lever 2| between gripping jaw Zia and pivot 23, and having downwardly projecting cutter blade 3|.

In the manufacture of the tool I prefer to use so-called strip-stock, usually steel, which may lilb,

and head them in position, this operation being.

done so that there is little playor lost motion at these points, and yet the wrench may be opened:

and closed without efiort.

In order to tighten or loosen a jar top, the jar is placed with its top within the outer gripping jaws, if large enough, as indicated in 'Fig."2:"

The operator then exerts pressure on the handle portions of levers I and U with one hand, grasps the body of the jar with the other, and turns the top as required. In case the top or, stopper is too.

small tube gripped by the outer jaws, it may. be gripped with the inner jaws and. tightened; or loosened, as desired.

To open a can, can cutter Sit-may be moved in away from the rim of the can, then the wrench tightened on the rim of the can as indicated in Fig. 2, and the cutter. slid: outwardly until;the point of the cutter engages the top. of the can justinside the rim, whereupon pressure is applied. topuncture thecan.

At this; point the pressure on the handles will bereleased somewhat so that thecan and wrench may beeasily turned with respect to, each other. It is only necessary then to rotate the. can, applyi c nly ientpressure-tothe wrench so that it. does not slip ofi the: can,., andas: the can; is

rotated with respect to the wrench, the cutter will fer-red embodiments ofm-y invention, it will be understood that modifications and changes may be-madewithout departing from the spirit and;

scope thereof, as will be clear to those sk-illedin the, art.

I claim:

1. A gripping and squeezing tool comprising, incombination, alpairof relatively-- long levers pi-votedtogether intermediate their ends; a'second pairor relativelyshort levers pivoted. together adjacent-their ends, said two pairs of levers-being pivotedtogether intermediate their ends andthe pivotpointof each pair, each of saidlevers having- :a gripping-jaw extending laterally therefrom.

at the free end; saidgripping jawsbeing'adjae cent-to, but outside the parallelogram-formed bylines joining the, pivot points.

65 2; Agripping and squeezing tool comprisin in combination, a firstpair, of levers pivotally connected at a point nearer one end than the other, a second pair of levers pivotally connected at their extremities, said pairs of levers being pivotally connected on the shorter arms of said first pair of levers and intermediate the free ends and the pivot point of said second pair, and gripping jaws extending from the shorter ends of said first pair of levers and from the free ends of said second pair of levers, said-jawslying outside the parallelogram formed by lines joining the pivot Points.

3. A gripping and squeezing tool comprising, in combination; a first pair of levers pivotally connected at a point nearer one end than the other, the longer ends of said levers being inclined in a direction toward each other between the pivot point and the ends, -a second pair of levers pivotally connected adjacent their ends, said pairs of levers being pivotally connected on the shorter ends of said first pair and intermediate the pivot point andthe ends of the second pair, theshorter ends of said first pair and the-freeends of the second pair being provided with gripping iawa.

said jaws. lying outsidethe parallelogramformed by lines joining the pivot points.

4. A new article of manufacture consisting of a gripping and squeezing tool formed of strip stock, and comprising a first pair of levers pivoted together nearer one end than the other, anda second pair of levers pivotally connectedadjacent their ends, said pairs of levers being'pivotally connected on the shorter-ends. of the first pair and intermediate the pivot point and the ends of the second pair, the-shorter endsof said first pair and the free endsof said second pair extending;

laterally at an angle to the plane'of the tool toform gripping jaws lying outside the parallelogram formed by lines joiningthe pivot points.

5. A new article of manufacture consisting of a gripping and squeezing tool formed of stripstock, and comprising a first pair of levers pivotally connected nearer one end. than the other,

anda second-pair oi levers pivotally connected 6. The combination claimed in claim 5,inuwhich.

the line bendforms a small angle: with the perpendicular to the. center line of. the lever: arm whereby thegripping surface of each jaw is sub-- stantially tangent to a. circle. concentric. withthe point of intersection of lines connecting opposite pivot points.

ASHER M; WOLFE REFERENCES CITED The. following references are of record'in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date' 724,829 Eberth Apr. 7,1903 1,415,676 Morgan. .May- 9, 1922. 

